I guess the point of this one’s a little reminiscent of Brian McFadden’s recurring “Hack Comic Slayer” bit, with a 19th Century twist. He and I share a distaste for cheap jokes and bad comedy, and yet we are weak and occasionally prone to lapses of it ourselves.

There’s a reason that the lifetime achievement award for comedy is called the Twain Prize. Despite all the absolute comic geniuses of the last 80 to 100 years, it’s hard to name any candidate for Greatest American Humorist than Mr. Clemens. Just scan some selected quotes, if you don’t agree. Or even if you agree and just want some more laughs.